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Former Real Madrid and Brazil striker Ronaldo has tipped Cristiano to win the Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive season.

The 29-year-old is the favourite for the award, which will be presented at a FIFA ceremony in Switzerland in January, having once again had another outstanding calendar year.

The Portugal captain scored more than 50 club goals last season, for the fourth year in a row, as Los Blancos won the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. The win in Lisbon ended the 12-year wait for La Decima, and Ronaldo set a new record in the competition – his 18 goals in all surpassing the previous best for the most goals in a single campaign held by Leo Messi.

A clearly injured Cristiano did his best to carry Portugal through the World Cup, but they crashed out early, Now recovered, he has taken his goalscoring feats to a new level and has netted 23 goals in just 17 games so far this season, spurring Los Blancos on to a 13-match winning run.

Speaking to journalists at a media event, Ronaldo said he believes Cristiano is deserving of the award once more. And he added compatriot Neymar will one day go on to win the prize.

“Cristiano should win Ballon d’Or 2014. I hope to see Neymar end up top three in Ballon D’or this year. His talent is sensational and he deserves recognition,” he stated.

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Daniel Carvajal

Real Madrid right back Daniel Carvajal has said the players want to keep the winning run going after Los Blancos secured their 14th win in a row with the 4-0 victory over Eibar.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men sit top of the table after the remarkable run following a difficult start in La Liga in which they lost two of their first three games.

Discussing the victory with journalists after the game, Carvajal said the players are taking each game at a time and want to win every one.

“We’ve won 14 matches in a row and it’s a great tally, but we want to add to it and we have the ability to do so, so we have to keep on picking up three points,” he said.

And he added: “The statistics are pretty extraordinary. We’re scoring a lot of goals and we’re barely conceding any. That’s really good, it’s important, because we’ve found balance and at the end of the day the teams that win leagues are the ones that concede the least.”

“We’re focusing on taking each game as it comes. The next is away at Basel and we hope we can put ourselves on track for first place in the group. Then we go to Málaga, where we have to carry on picking up three points to reach Christmas top of the league.”

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James Rodriguez says he and his Real Madrid team mates were happy to come away with the three points from Eibar as they knew they would be in for a tough game.

The Basque outfit are playing for the first time in La Liga and have a ground with a 5,500 capacity. But despite their tiny size compared to most La Liga sides, they had only lost one match at home prior to Saturday’s 4-0 loss to the Champions League winners.

James scored the opening goal, Karim Benzema got on the scoresheet, and Ronaldo grabbed two goals – meaning he now has 20 league goals after just 12 games, a new record in La Liga.

Speaking to reporters after the game, James said: “We knew that it was going to be a tough match, but we also knew that we could go out and win if we played well and put in a good match. I’m happy about the win and coming away with a good result.”

And he added: “If we came out strong and got an early goal we were going to come out on top. 0-4 is a really good result and now we have two tough games coming up that we also have to win. We have to keep playing to this level, we have good players and we hope we can keep it up.”

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Carlo Ancelotti has said he knows his team will suffer defeat at some point again this season but the players are focused on keeping the winning run going.

Los Blancos won their 14th match in a row in all competitions with the 4-0 win over Eibar on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace to bring up the 20-goal mark in just 12 games – a new league record, while James Rodriguez and Karim Benzema also got themselves on the scoresheet.

Speaking at his press conference afterwards, Ancelotti said the players are enjoying the winning feeling. When asked if they’d lose again this season, he responded: “Yeah, we know that day will come. Our aim is to continue our strong run. All the players are motivated and it is a very long season. We need to continue with the same attitude.”

The boss was also asked to explain why he chose Isco ahead of Sami Khedira in midfield and what that meant for the German and his future at the club. Speaking about the former Stuttgart man, he stated:  “He didn’t have any niggles. He was a bit tired and I preferred the idea of using Isco because he recovered well after international duty.”

And on why he chose Isco, Ancelotti said: “He played a great game, positioning himself well defensively and displaying the same quality up front. He showed that he is perfectly capable of playing in that position.”

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Real Madrid reinforced their lead in La Liga as they trashed Eibar thanks to a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored their 20th goal in La Liga.

Eibar made a great start to the game and had two chances to take the lead. Manu del Moral couldn’t get a decent contact when he attempted a volley from close range, and Saul Berjon was denied by Iker Casillas.

However, Los Blancos opened the scoring in a controversial play. Cristiano Ronaldo dinked the ball over a defender and smashed a cross into the box. Karim Benzema’s touch in possible offside saw the ball return to Ronaldo, who found James. The Colombian headed home at the far post.

Los Merengues kept on pressing, but Xabi Irureta made a couple of good saves. Yet, the visitors ended up doubling their lead two minutes before half-time. James reversed backed for Ronaldo, who bounced a strike into the top corner.

Benzema sealed the victory in the second half following a mistake from a defender. James laid the ball back to the Frenchman, who crashed a strike into the top corner.

Another mistake from Eibar’s defence ended up in a penalty kick. Ronaldo scored his 20th goal in La Liga coolly converting the penalty to make it 0-4.

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It’s a return to La Liga action for Real Madrid this weekend and a trip to newly promoted Eibar in the Basque Country.

The minnows face a huge task trying to halt the Los Blancos juggernaut as Carlo Ancelotti and his men aim to make it 14 wins in  row and stay top of the table. The hosts have made a decent start to life in La Liga and sit mid-table having suffered just one home defeat all season.

But it’s hard to see anything other than Real emerging with three points from the Estadio Municipal de Ipurua.

The main team news for Madrid is the injury to Luka Modric. The Croatian picked up a thigh strain on international duty and is expected to miss the next three to four months – a huge blow for Ancelotti.

Sami Khedira captained Germany to victory over Spain during the week and seems best fitted to join Toni Kroos in the heart of the midfield. Isco, Asier Illarramendi and Alvaro Medran are other options available to Ancelotti.

Real have scored 37 goals in their last 13 matches and are looking to continue their rich vein of form. With the BBC – Bale, Benzema and Cristiano – all fit and raring to go, it could be a tough afternoon for Eibar.

Probable Line-Up:Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Kroos, Khedira, Rodriguez, Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo

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Real Madrid defender Pepe has said it will be a scandal if club and international team mate Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t win the Ballon d’Or in January.

There is much debate going on in the media across Europe at the moment as to who is the most deserving player for football’s most prestigious individual honour. In the past few years there debate has surrounded just two players – Leo Messi and Ronaldo.

But with Germany having won the World Cup in Brazil in the summer, many feel a German player should win the award – Toni Kroos, Mario Goetze or goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for example.

But Pepe told A Bola it would be a scandal if 29-year-ol Ronaldo doesn’t retain the award he won a year ago. The Portuguese forward helped Madrid to three trophies this calendar year – the historic 10th European Cup, the Copa del Rey and the European Super Cup. Last season he netted more than 50 goals for his club. And this campaign he has already scored 23 goals in just 17 games for Los Blancos.

Veteran defender Pepe said: “If any other players wins, they should be ashamed given what Cristiano has been doing, beating lots of records, scoring 17 goals in the Champions League last season. These things are almost impossible”.

He continued: “In three months he has scored 23 goals. What else does he need to do? He is the best player in history and I repeat: it would be a scandal and a shame if they do not give him the Ballon d’Or.”

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FA Cup holders Arsenal have been offered hope in the long-term pursuit of Sami Khedira after Bayern Munich denied they had agreed a pre-contract agreement with the Real Madrid man.

The German midfielder has just eight months to go on his current deal at the Santiago Bernabeu and is able to talk to clubs outside of Spain about a free transfer at the end of the season from January 1.

Reports in the Spanish press over the past couple of days have suggested Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola is keen to add the World Cup winner to his ranks and the club had agreed a pre-contract agreement with the 27-year-old that would see him join the Bavarians in July.

But club spokesman Markus Horwick denied those claims, saying: “There is no truth in the reports.”

Arsenal were strongly linked with a 10-million-euro move for Khedira last summer but an agreement was never reached. Arsene Wenger is believed to still be keen to land his man as the Gunners look to replace the aging Mikel Arteta and Matieu Flamini in the centre of midfield. AC Milan, Chelsea and Manchester City are all thought to be monitoring developments.

Los Blancos are also keen to keep Khedira and boss Carlo Ancelotti has said he wants the midfielder to sit down with the club to discuss a new deal.

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Zinedine Zidane has had his three month coaching banned overturned, Real Madrid have confirmed.

The legendary former player, who was assistant to Carlo Ancelotti last season as Los Blancos won the Champions League and Copa del Rey, was banned from coaching Real Madrid Castilla last month by the Spanish football authorities after they ruled he did not have the correct coaching qualifications.

His assistant, Santiago Sanchez was also banned for the same period for allowing Zidane to hide behind his qualifications after taking over the running of Madrid’s second string side in he summer.

The club vowed to appeal the ban, and confirmed the Spanish Court of Arbitration for Sport had backed the 1998 World Cup winner and allowed him to resume his duties full-time.

“Spain’s Administrative Court for Sport (TAD) has accepted the case put forward by the club which means that the first and second trainers of Real Madrid Castilla – Santiago Sanchez and Zinedine Zidane – can carry out their profession,” a statement read on the official club website.

Zidane has held a number of roles at Los Blancos since retiring as a player. Prior to working as assistant to Ancleotti, he was a sporting ambassador for the 10-time European Cup winners. He left his role with Ancelotti to pursue his dream of being a manager himself and is widely expected to become boss of the first team one day in the future.

 

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Carlo Ancelotti insists he will look internally for a solution to fill the void left by Luka Modric’s absence through injury rather than turn to the transfer market.

The Croatian midfielder has been ruled out for the next three to four months with a thigh problem picked up on international duty this week. It is a huge blow to Real as the 27-year-old and summer signing Toni Kroos had formed a brilliant partnership in midfield that has seen Los Blancos enjoy a 13-game winning run in all competitions.

Ancelotti has a number of options to choose from, with Asier Illarramendi and Sami Khedira the obvious choices to replace Modric in the middle of the park. The Italian boss revealed yesterday that he’d be keen to try Isco in the middle as the 22-year-old is currently in a purple patch right now and playing well for club and country. Another alternative would be to turn to the youth players, and Alvaro Medran in particular has been touted as a possible replacement.

Speaking to Radio Nacional de Espana, Ancelotti insisted the solution already lies within the squad and he will not need to buy in January.

No [Real will not be buying in January], because we are able to replace Modric. We have other important players for this type of situation. Last year we had the same problem with the injury to [Sami] Khedira. We’ll fix it by putting in another midfielder,” Ancelotti said.

And he added: “We have the option of replacing him with Khedira, [Asier] Illarramendi and finally, we have the option of Isco, who does not have the habit of playing in the position but I think he can do it in some games.

“We have [Alvaro] Medran, a youngster from the Castilla who is doing very well and we like him. He may be an option at least to be with us.”

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